Photo by Chuck Close was taken as a series for Vanity Fair. Chuck Close (who is a contemporary artist and is paralyzed and works from a wheelchair) gave specific instructions to the A-list celebrities (Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, etc) to come get themselves ready with no substantial makeup, don't come with a huge entourage, get to the shoot under their own power (no limos, etc), and to be happy with a coffee and maybe a sandwich (no huge craft spread).
He then photographed with an extremely wide angle 550mm lens (yes, 550mm can be wide angle when on a 20x24" camera) very close to the subject giving a less than flattering appearance, but gives the impression of more of seeing someone how they are when they wake up first thing in the morning face-to-face standing 2 feet from them rather than perfectly done up and shot from 10 feet away like most celebrity portraits.
Close’s ground rules for his famous subjects—who all posed on a little stool directly in front of the massive bellows of the camera—were specific and non-negotiable: (1) Arrive alone or with one close friend or associate. (2) Be available for three hours. (3) Be responsible for your own look—no professional styling or hair or makeup. (4) Be content with coffee and deli sandwiches or salads—nothing fancy will be served. (5) Get to the studio under your own steam.
One of the things you'll see on here a lot is when they contrast the with/without by also going for a wider lens closeup on the 'without'. The 'Ernest' effect. Rarely will you see the same model under the same lens and light in the before and after.
ApatheticAbsurdist on July 15th, 2019 at 05:09 UTC »
Photo by Chuck Close was taken as a series for Vanity Fair. Chuck Close (who is a contemporary artist and is paralyzed and works from a wheelchair) gave specific instructions to the A-list celebrities (Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, etc) to come get themselves ready with no substantial makeup, don't come with a huge entourage, get to the shoot under their own power (no limos, etc), and to be happy with a coffee and maybe a sandwich (no huge craft spread).
He then photographed with an extremely wide angle 550mm lens (yes, 550mm can be wide angle when on a 20x24" camera) very close to the subject giving a less than flattering appearance, but gives the impression of more of seeing someone how they are when they wake up first thing in the morning face-to-face standing 2 feet from them rather than perfectly done up and shot from 10 feet away like most celebrity portraits.
Edit:
backstory: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/02/chuck-close-hollywood-portfolio-shoot
Photos: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2019/07/chuck-close-hollywood-portfolio
sergalahadabeer on July 15th, 2019 at 05:34 UTC »
One of the things you'll see on here a lot is when they contrast the with/without by also going for a wider lens closeup on the 'without'. The 'Ernest' effect. Rarely will you see the same model under the same lens and light in the before and after.
saintedward on July 15th, 2019 at 08:47 UTC »
Links to the original Vanity Fair page seem to be down but here it is through Way Back Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20141108014327/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2014/03/chuck-close-hollywood-portfolio#